Solar-powered lanterns offer beacon of hope for young Ukrainian war victims navigating PTSD therapy
NEW YORK (WABC) -- In war, darkness spreads all too quickly. But even just one person, or a small group, can find a way to spread light.
That's exactly what's happening as one New Yorker and a handful of New Englanders team up to light a path for Ukraine's children of war to find their footing along their healing journey. For the past three years, the nonprofit Common Man for Ukraine has delivered critical aid and trauma counseling to the war's most vulnerable victims - the children.
The volunteers have personally delivered more than 4 million pounds of food to frontline villages and child safe houses, and operated a mental healthcare retreat for more than 1,400 children of fallen soldiers. Ahead of their 14th humanitarian convoy coming up next month, Eyewitness News recently spoke with the group and its partners in New York City about the empowerment of everyday Americans taking action and the special role solar lanterns now play in their work.
Among those taking action include Alice Min Soo Chun, the CEO of Solight Design and the inventor of the SolarPuff lantern. She has dedicated her time to cutting down on air pollution and using solar power.
ALSO READ: Local mom, entrepreneur delivers solar technology to disaster zones
Now, Chun is using her solar-powered technology to help people in Ukraine amid the ongoing war.
Chun has donated thousands of the small colored lantern boxes to children in Ukraine after finding out healthcare workers were using them as PTSD therapy.
Recently, the mother and entrepreneur teamed up with Common Man for Ukraine and traveled to Ukraine to deliver aid and more lanterns to the children of the electricity-starved, war-torn country.
If you would like to support the humanitarian work of Common Man For Ukraine, you can visit www.commonmanforukraine.org.
ALSO READ: Young entrepreneurs donate solar-powered lights to kids in Zambia
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